"Like In Fairytales"

76.

Rosalie:

I took my bicycle to the library at around 3. I reached just when Casey's car pulled up.

"Hey..." I said.

"Need a hand?" he asked me.

"Yeah," I said as he helped me open the gate. We walked in. He was wearing a white t-shirt underneath a long blue unbuttoned shirt. His black bag slung over one of his shoulder and his hair were neatly maintained in the usual way.

"Whats wrong?" he asked as he put his bag down. He pulled a seat for me as I sat down. It was our thing. He's always pull the chair for me. I opened my books as he passed me his notebook.

"Why did you cut school anyway?" he asked.

"I was... Busy," I said.

"Oh. The father-daughter charity dance is going to be organised by the committee and the planning is already complete. They want us to ensure the execution," he said.

"OK but first please catch me upto the plan," I said putting my hair behind my back.

"I will but what happened to your neck?" he asked as he gently tugged at the collar of my top.

"What happened?" I asked.

"It's bluish-black. It's like a bruise. Did you get hurt at the party?" he asked.

"Um...", I gulped, "It's nothing."

"Don't go bumping into poles Rose. It's dangerous," he said.

I pulled his hand away from my neck and held it.

He sensed something different.

"Rosalie... Am I making you uncomfortable?" he asked.

"No. I just want to get the work done before Celine arrives."

"Celine, like Dakota's Mom? Why is she meeting you?"

"Dad sent over the first copies of his invitations. I suppose she must have something to talk about it."

I opened his notebook and started writing to ignore any other details he might ask for. It grew quiet.

Silence is infact really beautiful and calm but this one was heavy. Maybe because I was imagining it.

I daren't meet his eye and continued writing down.

He must have sensed it too as he pulled my books away.

"Hey," I whined.

"We both know that you aren't focusing. You were literally writing the answers of the previous chapter. Is your Dad marrying Celine finally taking a toll on you?"

"Yeah and... It's also... Ugh... Um..."

"Rosalie, this is so unlike us. Did I do something wrong?" he asked.

"No... Absolutely not."

"Is it Theodore?"

"No," I said.

"You are not making it any easier to guess."

"Can you please just let it go?"

"Ok. I will."

"Thanks. Anyway, why did you call me yesterday?" I asked.

"It was nothing. I just needed to talk to someone," he said.

"I am sorry. I was at the party and.... Anyways... What happened?" I asked.

"I felt alone and lonely all of a sudden and I had this sudden urge to talk to someone I trust. I picked my phone up and I called you. Rosalie... I really don't know what I'd do if it weren't for you."

"Yeah... We actually are great friends."

"Yeah... About that... Um," he started as my phone rang.

It was Theodore.

"I gotta take this. Give me a second," I said as I picked his call up.

"Hey, Rose... Wherefore art thou?" he asked.

"I am at the library. Why do you ask?" I asked.

"For thy Romeo's impatient heart calls out," he laughed.

"You are amazing," I said.

"Finally you said it," he laughed.

"And an idiot," I continued.

"Still counts," he said.

"Why did you call?" I asked.

"Can't thy lover call for the flutter of his heartbeat at the call of thy name?" he said in a posh English accent. Well atleast what he thought it was.

"That's cute but why did you actually call anyway?" I asked.

"In about 10 minutes, I am going to send you a gift via a little birdie aka Carlos. Be excited. Love ya. Bye," he said.

"Idiot," I laughed.

He cut the call as I looked at Casey. He had started reshelving the books.

"I am so sorry... Where were we?" I asked.

"Oh. It's nothing. Actually, I forgot. Mom needed me to get my suit picked up from the drycleaner. I'll do that. See you tomorrow?" he asked slinging his bag over his shoulder.

I nodded. He walked past the door as he turned to look back at me.

"Also Rose, loosen up," he said as he smiled. I waved.

I sat down at the table and completed my books. In about half an hour, I completed my work. At the same time, Carlos arrived with a gift in his hand.

"Perfect timing," I said. He dropped it off and left smiling goofily. I opened the bag. Inside it was a small bouquet of roses and a four-leaved clover Keychain. I smiled at the vague memory of the clover.

I put the Keychain in my bag and the bouquet in the side pocket.

I cleaned up the dust over the books and Celine arrived.

We sat down.

"Rosalie. I know that me saying everything is gonna change nothing but I really hope that you can be happy for the fact that your father is going to get remarried."

"I think you are missing my point. With all due respect, I am going to be a quiet spectator of the wedding. I shall not play any part in it. I am not blessing the union or objecting to it. I really don't want to waste another breath on this."

"That's not why I am here. Your father would really appreciate if you and Dakota and Skylar got along well. Maybe we can all go and get the wedding dresses altogether?" she asked.

"But after that, after the marriage, please do not expect us to be on our toes for you. I am really tired to pulling and pushing. I am tired of making everyone happy. For once, I am going to be happy myself."